NFL: Pack's Jennings set to return from abdominal tear

Published: Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012 12:09 a.m. CDT

Caption

(MCT)

Green Bay wide receiver Greg Jennings, shown celebrating after the Packers' Super Bowl XLV victory over Pittsburgh, plans to return to action this Sunday against the Vikings after missing seven games with an abdominal tear.

By The Associated Press

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers won’t get all of their injured starters back this week. The one they will get back could make a big difference.

The Packers are hoping the return of two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Greg Jennings will be the salve the offense needs after a 38-10 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday night.

The question is how many snaps Jennings will be able to handle against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field on Sunday.

Jennings missed the last seven games and had surgery Nov. 1 to repair a lower abdominal tear that has bothered him since he first injured it near the end of the Sept. 9 season opener against San Francisco. Jennings was a full participant in practice Wednesday.

“Just talking with Greg Saturday and Sunday, I think he’s in a good place and he’s ready to [go],” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. “He needs a full week of work, and that’s our plan.”

Jennings was in and out of the lineup during the first month of the season, and has not played since catching a touchdown Sept. 30 in a victory over New Orleans. He practiced all 3 days last week and proclaimed himself “ready” last Friday, but he was inactive for the team’s 38-10 loss at the New York Giants on Sunday night.

The Packers have had trouble against teams playing predominantly Cover-2 defenses against them, and Jennings’ ability to get open on underneath routes as well as stretch the field would help.